"Corporate Raiders" - Part 2 - Commo Sebastian Ascari, Cpt T. Ramius, & NPCs

Posted on 241410.24 @ 9:39am by Commodore Sebastian Ascari

Mission: Insurrection [Fleet Plot]
Location: USS Corsair
Timeline: Backlog

"Corporate Raiders - Part 2"
======================================

Captain Ramius walked down the corridor having completed his inspection tour of the Corsair. Repairs were progressing on schedule. Ship and crew appeared to be in good order given their recent scrape with Starfleet.

“Good evening captain”, a passing crewman stated. “Good evening.”

Ramius slowed and stopped having arrived at his destination. He reached out and pressed a button on the control panel near the door.

“Yes, come in”, a familiar voice stated.

Ramius entered Captain Zane Akina’s office. As the doors opened Ramius spotted Captain Akina sitting at his desk. The man was hunched over his computer and appeared hard at work. Half a dozen padds littered the officer’s desk surface along with several glasses and a half eaten field ration. Several foil wrappers previously belonging to various snacks were haphazardly scattered about the room. Ramius fell into one of the two seats in the tiny office without ceremony.

“How about you wrap this up? I’m off duty and you look like you could use a drink. I think I could use one also.”

Akina shook his head. “I don’t have the time”, he answered coolly. “We’ll reach Atavia soon. Our intelligence on this planet isn’t as good as I had hoped.” He turned to Ramius. “We’re going to need detailed scans of the area prior to beaming down. That means a slow pass of the planet. The intelligence I have is nearly a year old. I cannot create an accurate attack plan with data that stale.”

“We can use the cloak”, Ramius stated grabbing a wrapper from the captain’s desk. “We can’t afford to linger in orbit given its unreliability, but obtaining sensor scans shouldn’t be a problem.” He eyed the wrapper in his hands mildly interested in Akina’s taste in chocolate confections. “Come on. Shut that off and let’s get some food. I’m famished.”

“Not now Taverain. As much as I’d like too there’s too much work to be completed. I haven’t finished my tactical assessment of the NeoDyne facility.”

“Let Valtren worry about the tactical assessment. He enjoys pouring over intricate details and developing plans and contingencies. That’s a big reason, I’m reluctant to admit, that he’s so damn good at what he does.”

“Do the two of you ever get along”, Akina asked.

Ramius stopped fiddling with the wrapper. “It’s complicated.”

“Must have been hard growing up under his shadow huh?”

“It wasn’t by choice”, Ramius answered. “Sorry, I suppose this business with NeoDyne has me on edge.”

“You? On edge? Is that even possible?”

“Where the NeoDyne Corporation is concerned…I am always on edge.”
“I don’t want to hand this off to the Admiral. He’s been irritable ever since the staff meeting a few days ago. No way I’m going near him. What’s eating him…or for that matter you? I mean I know you two are close, but…”

“After mom and dad were killed he was the only one I could trust. He pulled me out of my home just as the fire consumed it. My parents bought him time to save me with their lives. NeoDyne mercenaries nearly killed all of us!” Ramius’s hand formed a tight fist around the wrapper within as it crinkled under the strain. “He’s never spoken of it, but I think my father made him promise to look after me right before the end. He’s somehow managed to keep that promise for over three decades. If that’s not friendship…I’m not sure what is. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure I know how he feels about being honor bound to raise me. Can’t say I would have had the conviction to stick it out with me to look after. Looking back I must have been quite a handful.”

“You’re still a handful. Are you kidding me?”

Ramius softly chuckled. “He wanted his career but he also had an obligation to his friend and my father to raise me…the two were seldom…compatible. He was either never there or when he was it was nothing but lectures on duty, honor, and respect. I couldn’t understand what he was saying then. I just wanted a regular father. I guess neither of us are very good for one another, but we’re all each other has. He isn’t perfect. Neither am I. Like I said…it’s complicated. NeoDyne has a way of reminding us both of the past.”

Ramius sighed. “Let’s change the subject. As I was saying, just forward what you have to the old man and let him and his people handle it. As for us, let’s grab some chow.”

Akina blinked. “You don’t have me fooled captain. Dinner isn’t all you’re after.”

“What makes you say that?”

“You want to know how our mutual problem is progressing. Was that your plan? Ply me with food and drink until I talk?”

“Works with most people. Standard intelligence operating procedure”, Ramius replied.

“Oh? So you do admit to having an ulterior motive?”

“I admit nothing except that I’m starving. Are you in or out?”


=== Officer’s Mess ===


“Well that hit the spot”, Ramius stated finishing off the last bite of his meal. He looked over and noticed Akina had eaten very little.

“What’s wrong? Chef get your order wrong or something?”

“No. I’m not hungry.”

“Why not? After all the training simulations you’ve been running I would expect you to be starving.”

“How can you sit there and eat when we both know we have a serious problem on our hands”, Akina suddenly shouted.

“I can eat because I’m hungry.” Ramius sighed and tossed his napkin onto the table. He grabbed a nearby glass of wine and took a sip. “So let’s get this over with. How bad is it?”
“Bad? It’s catastrophic”, Akina stated folding his arms.

“Define catastrophic. He can’t be that bad.”

Akina snorted. “No…he’s not half bad. But we both know this is a reckless and terrible idea.”

“We’ll get to that in a moment. How’s he doing”, Ramius asked his voice losing its earlier jovial tone.

“Not bad for someone who’s flown a desk for most of his career. Better than I would have expected. He’s…surprising if I have to admit it. Despite that, he’s vomited half a dozen times all over the holodeck. He managed to fracture his arm in training two days ago. I didn’t even find out about it until this morning when I was speaking with Dr. Durandal who gently pleaded with me to take it easy on him. I can’t do that given this impossible task! What the hell is this about Ramius? We both know this is insanity! It’s madness! So why are you forcing me to train him for our mission on Atavia? Sebastian Ascari might be our commanding officer, but he isn’t a field operative. I’ll give him an A for effort. He hasn’t complained. He’s endured the training. I had to order him to sleep after catching him practicing after hours on the holodeck a few days back. He’s determined and obviously has a high threshold for pain and discomfort. What I can’t work out is why he’s putting himself through this. He’s hardly said a word. So why is he doing this? And what manner of arm twisting did he do to you to get you to agree to this insanity? I would have thought you of all people would have been the first to deny his request?”

“Have you ever lost everything? I mean everything”, Ramius quietly asked.

Akina paused for a moment. “I…I lost someone I loved. I’m not sure that qualifies, but it’s the best I can offer.”

“Then you know how that feels. Put yourself in Ascari’s shoes. He was the intelligence director for Starfleet. Earth is attacked. The intelligence director is killed in Paris. He’s suddenly promoted from deputy director to director and thrust into a chaotic and impossible situation. Most of Earth wanted his head on a platter. To add insult to injury conspirators stage a successful coup right in the director’s backyard. He suddenly finds himself on the defensive, but it is too late. Before he can act he’s taken prisoner and his powers are gone like dust on the wind. He didn’t see it coming. None of us did. However, he was…is the intelligence director. He expects that he would have had some form of advance warning. I’m sure he has asked himself many times if there was something he missed, something else he could have done, some order that could have prevented the calamity that has befallen Earth and the Federation.

He blames himself for the intelligence failings that led in part to the coup and its success on Earth. Frankly, I’m impressed the man is still in one piece carrying around the weight of such guilt and remorse. A normal man would have snapped and resorted to alcohol, drugs, or obtained a ticket to leave this mortal coil to escape such things.”

“Did he tell you…”

“No”, Ramius quickly stated interrupting Akina’s question. “Not in so many words. Ascari is a proud man. He wants to contribute something to our cause other than simply giving orders. He needs a successful fight against the enemy. He needs to reassure himself he still has what it takes to fight. His confidence is shattered after events on Earth. Since his rescue he feels isolated and helpless. He’s out of his element here aboard this ship. I suspect he feels he owes us a debt for saving his life as well. He wants the chance to attempt to repay that debt.

He’s a colleague and comrade Akina. We may not always agree or even like one another, but I do respect him. He needs our help. How can I refuse a comrade in distress?”

“There has to be another way? He’s a liability no matter how much training he has. Even if I had a year having him on the team for the current mission is reckless and irresponsible! He’s the freaking intelligence director! How can I accomplish my mission objectives if I’m constantly watching him? Not to mention his uncanny ability to pull rank at critical moments when he is in over his head.

I don’t give scuttlebutt much credit, but rumor is he tried to overrule you on the bridge during the fight with that Starfleet ship. You slapped him down pretty hard or so the rumor goes. I don’t want to deal with that in a crisis standing in enemy territory. Hell, I don’t want to deal with it period! He’s a risk to my team and their safety and I cannot permit him to jeopardize my people simply to help relieve his guilt or mental anguish. As cold and callused as that may sound I have to put my team and their lives ahead of his needs.”

“I know”, Ramius quietly answered.

Akina’s eyebrow arched. “So he’s out?”

“No.”

“But? You just said…”

“I said I understand your position and agree with it. Allowing Ascari to jeopardize your team’s safety and the mission is reckless. However that doesn’t change the fact that the man needs to feel useful. He needs to prove he can get dirty and take on the enemy. He needs to feel as if he’s something more than a figurehead. And I need him to believe he’s a member of this ship and crew. Right now, he is a liability to all of us if he cannot resolve certain matters. He has various demons to confront. Only he can fight them. We can help, but the battle is his to win or lose.”

“I…I don’t follow you Ramius. Quit waxing philosophical. Damn, I hate it when you get like this! Is he still assigned to my team or not?”

“I’ll take personal responsibility for Ascari. You and your team will proceed as planned.”

“What!”

“YOU’RE joining the away team?”

“Affirmative.”

“That’s even more ludicrous than your original idea! Two ranking officers? One was bad enough! I can’t possibly protect you both!”

“No one is asking you to. I’ll be responsible for Ascari. He’ll be my responsibility and mine alone. You and your team can focus on the mission.”

Akina opened his mouth to speak, but Ramius cut him off.

“Unless you believe I am unfit to handle this mission then let this be the end of it. I’ve made my decision.”

“I can go over your head!”

“To whom?”

Akina grit his teeth. “Admiral Valtren out ranks you. He’ll never agree to this.”

“The Admiral isn’t in command of this starship. I am.”

Akina let out a large pent up sigh before collapsing back into his seat. “Fine. You win. Just note my objection as always. I think this is a bad idea Tav. There’s no telling what we might run into down there. We both know this isn’t going to be simple or easy. NeoDyne might not be expecting us to show up, but they are clever bastards and are well-armed and trained. We slip up and I doubt all of us will come home.”

Akina leaned forward against the table. “What if we give him his shot? Another mission? Let’s just wait until we have a nice, easy objective. Beam down, do our thing, the captain gets to feel like he’s part of the team, and we come home?”

Ramius shook his head. “We haven’t had an easy mission yet. I don’t anticipate them to get any easier given the current state of affairs. Do you?”

Akina lowered his head. “No. You’re right. Things aren’t going to get easier. You really believe this is the only way?”

“He needs to confront his demons. We have to help him.”

Akina reached across the table for the bottle of scotch he had been nursing. He poured himself a stout drink and took several sips. “I’ll make sure he’s as ready as possible. If you’re dead set on this then I’ll do my best to give him every possible advantage.”

“Thank you Zane. I know this hasn’t been easy. It isn’t a request I would have made if I didn’t believe it to be absolutely necessary. I apologize if I have put you in a difficult position.

However, we need him with us. Every day he remains isolated is a day he moves father away from reality and his ability to make rational decisions. He’s abrasive and irritating, but he has to be in order to get things done running a massive intelligence bureaucracy. He has to play equal parts politician, manager, soldier, and diplomat. Hell, I think he has the worst of it. I’d much rather sign up for a suicide mission with slim chances of success than deal with a room of squabbling Admirals.”

“Same here and no need to apologize”, Akina stated taking another long pull from his glass. “I guess we all have our individual battles to fight. Ascari’s battlefields are in boardrooms. Arguments and assessments are his weapons. I’m fairly sure both of us would feel just as inferior if we were suddenly thrust into a conference room with nothing more than presentations and facts surrounded by big egos all vying for influence and control. Damn…now that I think about it, I’d rather take on a platoon of Nausicans single handed than deal with a room of Starfleet top brass.”

Akina glanced at the chronometer. “Damn, it got late. I should probably call it a night. More training tomorrow.”

“Try to avoid causing him any additional internal injuries”, Ramius quipped. “It will be preferable if he can walk for the mission.”

“I can’t make any promises”, Akina answered standing from the table and finishing off his drink. “He’s a tough bird. I’ll give him that. He isn’t bad with a phaser either.”

“Tough or not, he needs to be tougher still. He’s determined, but beneath that he’s still a desk jockey. Determination only gets you so far”, Ramius stated with a touch of coldness in his voice.

“Well I cannot promise he’ll be grunting and cursing like a seasoned marine, but I’ll do my best”, Akina stated with a smirk.

“Thanks for dinner captain. I owe you one.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“Evening.”

Ramius stood as Akina made his way out of the officer’s mess. He turned and took the bottle of scotch Akina had left behind not bothering to grab a glass. Making his way to the window he took a long swig from the bottle as the alcohol burned his throat.

He gazed out into the stars before him. Was he fool? Was Akina correct? Was this mission utter madness? He took another drink as he stared out at the stars searching for answers as silver streaks of light dashed by. Ramius set the bottle down. He had made his decision. The time for doubt was over.

If this was going to work he would need to get in some training for himself. Going into a hot zone cold was indeed a recipe for disaster. He too glanced at the chrono. The hour wasn’t yet too late. Perhaps using the holodeck would be time well spent. They still had some time before they reached Atavia. He would need to ensure everyone used that time as efficiently as possible, himself included.

~ To Be Continued ~


==========================

Captain Taverain Ramius
CO, USS Corsair

and

Captain Zane Akina
Starfleet intelligence Special Operative